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OF THE 


Commission to Investigate 


THE 


Condition of the Adult Blind 


IN THE 


STATE OF NEW YORK* 


TRANSMITTED TO THE LEGISLATURE FEBRUARY 1, 1904. 


ALBANY 

OLIVER A. QUAYLE 
State Legislative Printer 

1904 


























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REPORT 


OF THE 

Commission to Investigate 

THE 

Condition of the Adult Blind 

IN THE 

STATE OF NEW YORK. 

»> 


COMMISSIONERS. 

F. Park Lewis, M. D., President , 

No. 454 Franklin Street, Buffalo, N. Y. 
j ' '•'Lewis Buffett Carle, A. M., Vice-President, 

\ C T, : No. 457 Ninth Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. 

O. H. Burritt, A. M., Secretary, 

Batavia, N. Y. 


TRANSMITTED TO THE LEGISLATURE 


FEBRUARY 1, 1904. 


ALBANY 

OLIVER A. QUAYLE 
State Legislative Printer 

1904 












State of New York. 


No. f>. 


IN 



REPORT 

OF THE 

Commission to Investigate the Condition of the Adult 
Blind in the State of New York* 


STATE OF NEW YORK: 

Executive Chamber. 

Albany, February 15, 1904. 

To the Legislature: 

1 have the honor to transmit herewith the report of the Com¬ 
mission to Investigate the Condition of the Adult Blind in the 
State of New York. 


B. B. ODELL, Jr. 














' 
























































































_ 
































































































































REPORT. 


To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York: 

Gentlemen—In accordance with the provisions of chapter 576, 
Laws of 1903, entitled “An act to provide for the appointment 
of a Commission to Investigate the Condition of the Adult Blind 
in the State of New York and to report on the expediency of the 
establishment by the State of industrial training schools or 
other institutions, and making an appropriation to provide for. 
the expenses of such commission,” which act became a law on 
May 13, 1903, we, the Commissioners duly appointed by the Gov¬ 
ernor in accordance with the provisions of the aforesaid act, 
have now the honor to present the following report: 

CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO THE APPOINTMENT OF 

THE COMMISSION. 

When the State of New York first began to adopt measure* 
to provide for the education of its blind citizens it was foreseen 
that as all of them could not follow a professional life it would 
be necessary to make some provisions for industrial as well 
as for intellectual training; and hence, first, in the institution 
for the blind which was established in New York city and later 
in that which was subsequently established at Batavia indus¬ 
trial departments were inaugurated in which the pupils could 
learn such trades as experience might show to be most advan¬ 
tageous for their condition. 

But it was soon found that very many persons who had lost 
their sight after they had become adults were extremely desir- 



6 


[Assembly 


ous of being taught some industrial pursuit, and also that 
among those who had been thus trained at the two institutions 
many wished these establishments to continue to provide them 
with work, claiming that they were unable either to start in 
business for themselves or to secure employment from others. 
Each institution in its turn endeavored at first to partially meet 
these demands; but these endeavors, which at the best neces¬ 
sarily benefited a few only of the many who needed similar 
assistance, so imperiled the usefulness of these institutions as 
moral and intellectual educators of the youthful blind and also 
entailed such financial losses that first in New York city and 
later at Batavia these endeavors to aid the adult blind were 
entirely discontinued. Hence, at the present time, while the 
State hais nobly provided for the intellectual and to some extent 
for the industrial training of blind children in the two institu¬ 
tions which have just been named, those blind persons who lose 
their sight in adult life have no means of acquiring an industrial 
trade, while those who have been already thus trained at an 
institution are compelled to depend entirely upon their own 
ability to secure work and to support themselves thereby. 

It was perfectly natural and right that the State should first 
give its attention to the education of the youthful blind, and it 
is also sound to insist that the two institutions which are en¬ 
gaged in this work shall not be burdened with the task of train¬ 
ing adults or of providing work for them. Still the question, 
“What can the State do to ameliorate the condition of the adult 
blind? ” is one which has for some years been forcing itself with 
ever increasing urgency upon all who have anything to do with 
those who have lost their sight. As the blind are in general in 
indigent circumstances, and the adults are far more numerous 


No. 6.] 


7 


than the young, it has seemed to many who have considered the 
subject that it would be impossible for the State, beyond its 
general charities, to make any adequate provisions for the 
former class. But even if we are willing to resign to the care 
of the existing public and private charities all those blind per¬ 
sons who have now become too old to learn or to follow any of 
the industrial pursuits which are generally considered to be 
feasible for those who have lost their sight, and also all those 
younger adult blind persons who have been left by disease 
physically or mentally unsound, there will still remain a large 
class of able-bodied adults, and it ought at least to be possible 
to render most of these people either in whole or in part self- 
supporting. This view of the case has been taken also by other 
States, and some of them have already adopted measures de¬ 
signed for the amelioration of the condition of their adult blind 
citizens. 

The foregoing facts, which will, it is hoped, sufficiently explain 
why some legislation was deemed desirable, led the Senator 
from Wyoming county, the Hon. Frederick C. Stevens, to frame 
and to introduce the bill which subsequently became a law, and 
your Commissioners, who were later designated by the Gov¬ 
ernor, accepted their several appointments with the hope that 
after due investigation they might be able to recommend to your 
honorable body such measures as would in some degree at least 
accomplish the objects sought by this law. If this hope has not 
been fully realized, they have at all events given the subject 
much ihoughtful consideration; and have also in the brief time 
allotted to them for their work carefully examined, so far as 
possible, all the data available upon which their recommenda¬ 
tions should be founded. 


8 


[Assembly 


Organization of the Commission. 

Owing to a mistake which need not here be explained, the 
Brooklyn member of your Commission did not receive his ap¬ 
pointment until the 23d of June, but on the 26th of the same 
month the Commission held its first formal meeting and organ¬ 
ized by electing the following officers: President, F. Park Lewis, 
M. D., Buffalo, N. Y.; vice-president, Lewis Buffett Carll, A. M., 
Brooklyn, N. Y.; secretary, O. H. Burritt, A. M., Batavia, N. Y. 

9 

Since its organization, which was effected in New York city, 
the Commission has (1) held six meetings, three in the city of 
Buffalo, and three at its office in Batavia; (2) has studied and 
analyzed the United States census of the blind of 1900, together 
wifh the New Y r ork city list of blind pensioners; (3) has caused 


to be made a personal visitation of about one-sixth of the entire 
blind population of the State, besides announcing the appoint¬ 
ment of the Commission, and calling for an expression of opinion 
from about 1,000 more; (4) has had correspondence with all the 
superintendents of the poor of the State; (5) has held corres¬ 
pondence with all the institutions for the blind in the United 
States and Canada and with many abroad; (6) has given one 
formal and two informal hearings to the blind and their friends, 
and (7) has had correspondence and conference with the chair¬ 
man of the Massachusetts Commission recently appointed for the 
same purpose. 

Your Commission has also, through one or more of its mem¬ 
bers, personally visited (1) the Industrial Home for the Blind 
(men), Brooklyn; (2) the Church Home for Blind Women, Brook¬ 
lyn; (3) the Society for the Relief of the Destitute Blind, New 
York city; (4) the St. Joseph’s Blind Asylum, Staten Island, 
New York city; (5) Homes for the Blind, Blackwell’s Island, 


No. 6.] 9 

New York city; (6) the Connecticut Institute and Industrial 
Home for the Blind, Hartford; (7) the Columbia Polytechnic 
Institute for the Blind, Washington; (8) the Pennsylvania Work¬ 
ing Home for Blind Men, Philadelphia; (9) the Pennsylvania In¬ 
dustrial Home for Blind Women, Philadelphia; (10) the St. 
Joseph’s Home for Blind Females, Jersey City; (11) the Perkins 
Institution and Massachusetts School for the Blind, South 
Boston; (12) the Maryland School for the Blind, Baltimore; (13) 
the Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind, 
Overbrook, Philadelphia; (14) the Institution for the Blind, New 
York city; (15) the New York State School for the Blind, 
Batavia. 

But with the exception of this general statement it is believed 
that the present report should aim to present a comprehensive 
view of the work as a whole which has been done by the Com¬ 
mission, with as small an amount of chronological or personal 
detail as circumstances would seem to permit. 


Two Lines of Investigation for the Commission. 


In soon became evident to the members of your Commission 
that if they would acquire the knowledge necessary to enable 
them to make any wise recommendations to your honorable 
body they must first ascertain, so far as possible, what is 
the general condition of the adult blind in the State of New 
York; and second, what public or private measures have already 
been adopted either in this State or elsewhere to improve the 
condition of the adult blind. Information regarding the first of 
these points must be obtained either from an examination of 
existing public or private records concerning the blind or from 
some system of personal correspondence or visitation. 


10 


[Assembly 


Public and Private Records. 

Your Commission soon discovered that documentary informa¬ 
tion regarding the blind of the State of New York was exceed¬ 
ingly meager and untrustworthy. Indeed, the only two records 
of any extent which could be found are, first, that which was 
derived from the United States census of 1900 containing the 
names of 6,008 blind persons; and second, that of the adult blind 
pensioners of the Greater New York, containing more than 1,000 
names. 

As it seemed reasonable to hope that a careful examination 
of these two records might furnish some valuable information 
bearing upon the work of your Commission, an early effort was 
made to secure at least one copy of each. 

From the State Library at Albany, which had previously re¬ 
ceived from Washngton the last census records of all the blind 
residing in the State of New York, those records were, through 
the courtesy of Melvil Dewey, director of this library, forwarded 
to Batavia to be copied and subsequently returned. From the 
census list we were able to ascertain with reference to each 
individual the name, address, degree of blindness (whether total 
or partial) color, sex, age in 1900, those who are blind and deaf, 
and blind and deaf and dumb. 

In the person of the Hon. Homer Folks, commissioner of 
charities of New York city, your Commissioners found a coad¬ 
jutor always ready to do for them in their work whatever might 
lie within his power. Through the courtesy of this gentleman, 
and also through that of Second Deputy Commissioner Charles 
E. Teale of Brooklyn, your Commissioner from the last named 
city was permitted to make, through any person whom he might 


No. G.] 


U 


wish to send, a copy of the adult blind pension records of the 
so-called Greater New York. 

It seemed desirable in the first place to endeavor to ascertain 
approximately from their recorded ages how many of the adult 
blind of the State of New York might be assumed to be now in 
the prime of life. 

By reference to Table II of Appendix A on page 53 of this 
report it will be observed that of the 6,008 blind persons in the 
State only 584, or 9.72 per cent., of the total number are under 
21 years of age; 3,193, or 53.14 per cent., are over 60 years of 
age; 1,375, or 22.88 per cent., are between the ages of 21 and 50. 
This number may reasonably be assumed to be the number of 
the blind of the State who are now T in the prime of life, and 
these are the persons who may be supposed to be capable of 
being rendered in whole or in part self-supporting, and for 
wdiose interests chiefly your Commission was created. 

By reference to the statistical table based upon the. pension 
list of 1903 of the city of New York, which constitutes Appendix 
B, page 59 of this report, it will be learned that 510, or 50 per 
cent., of the 1,002 beneficiaries for the current year were be¬ 
tween the ages of 21 and 50 and 324, or 32 per cent., of the total 
number of beneficiaries were above 60 years of age. 

It is a notable fact, for which your Commission will not essay 
to account, that wdiile the census list shows that but 22.88 per 
cent, of the entire blind population of the State are of what may 
be assumed to be of working age, that is between the ages of 21 
and 50, 50 per cent, of the recipients of the benefactions of the 
city of New York are within these same age limits; and that 
quite contrary to what might be expected, only 32 per cent, of 
the pensioners of the city of New York are above 60 years of 


12 


[Assembly 


age, although over 53 per cent, of the blind of the State are 
above this age limit. 

It was deemed desirable also to endeavor to ascertain what 
conditions hold among the adult blind of the State with respect 
to property, marriage and present or previous occupation. But 
as the records in question, and particularly those of the United 
States census, failed to furnish the data required, it was found 
necessary to pursue another mode of investigation. 

Personal Visitation of the Blind. 

When available records were found to be unsatisfactory the 
Batavia member of your Commission having learned of a plan 
which, although for a different purpose, had been adopted by 
Mr. Edward E. Allen, superintendent of the School for the Blind 
in Philadelphia, suggested to his colleagues the employment of 
a visitor who, taking the addresses of the blind as given in the 
census report for a general guide, should seek to visit each 
given blind person in any locality, and also to learn from him of 
the existence of any other, ascertaining also from his neighbors 
the reliability of the data given. 

This suggestion was adopted, and for the experiment the 
Commissioner just mentioned had in mind a young man of ex¬ 
ceptional fitness, who, although himself blind, generally trav¬ 
eled alone and could therefore better gain the confidence of 
those blind persons whom he visited. This young man investi¬ 
gated the facts concerning 610 blind persons, visiting practically 
all of the blind residents of Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, 
Chemung, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Schuyler, Tioga and 
Wyoming counties, and some of those residing in Allegany, Erie, 
Monroe, Niagara and Steuben counties. 


No. 6.] 


13 


When two months of work had demonstrated to the Coinmis- 
sion that this plan was a success, and that the material being 
gathered was of great value to their work, a second young man, 
likewise without sight, was employed to similarly visit some of 
the blind in the southeastern part of the State. During the 
brief time for which he was employed he similarly investigated 
the facts regarding 192 blind persons resident in Dutchess, 
Columbia and Putnam counties. 

Two young women with sight were likewise employed, one of 
whom investigated 37 cases in Franklin county, while the other 
visited 121, resident chiefly in Monroe, Steuben and Wayne 
counties. 

It will thus be seen that in this w r ork the Commission caused 
to be personally investigated the larger portion of western New 
York entire, three counties in southeastern New York and one 
in northern New York, so that all sections of the State are 
represented in the results obtained. 

Because it was believed that more was known, or could be 
easily ascertained about the condition of the blind in cities than 
about that of those in the rural districts, work was confined to 
the latter. 

Owing to the fact that your Commission could not organize 
until the beginning of the summer vacations, and that these 
vacations still further delayed certain necessary preliminary 
work, scarcely more than four months remained for the prosecu¬ 
tion of any kind of investigation, and little more than three 
months in which rural visitations could be conducted with any 
advantage. Nevertheless, in the brief time allotted, 960 cases 
w T ere investigated, and such records concerning them obtained 
as would enable one to form a tolerably good estimate of the 


14 


[Assembly 


general condition of each. Although these visitations were 
made mostly in rural districts, their expense was but $626.72, or 
65 cents for each person found; and they could be made in large 
towns and cities, and particularly in New York city, at a much 
less cost. 

It is, therefore, greatly to be regretted that time did not per¬ 
mit the extension of the same methods to the blind of the entire 
State, since in no other way can a really accurate knowledge of 
their condition be obtained. Whether or not such knowledge 
would readily point out the way in which these conditions could 
be best relieved, your Commission will not undertake to assert. 

The conclusions which your Commissioners have drawn from 
the data secured by these personal visitations are found at the 
close of this report, and several items of interest and import¬ 
ance are set forth in tabular form in Appendix C, page 60, which 
forms a part of this report. 

Consulting the Adult Blind of New York City. 

In lieu of personally visiting the adult blind of New York 
city, where the prevailing conditions were fairly well known, 
the following methods were adopted. Through the kind assist¬ 
ance of the Hon. Homer Folks, and also through the thought¬ 
fulness of First Deputy Commissioner Dougherty, the latter of 
whom first suggested the plan, the Brooklyn member of your 
Commission was enabled to meet the adult blind pensioners of 
New York city, and a week later those of Brooklyn, as they 
came together to receive their annual pensions; and taking them 
in groups he briefly addressed each, telling his hearers about the 
appointment and objects of the Commission, asking them to 
think and talk the matter over among themselves and closing 


No. 6.] 


15 


by inviting all who might have any opinion to express as to the 
nature of the recommendations which the Commission ought to 
make to your honorable body, to communicate that opinion to 
him either in writing, or by calling upon him at his residence, 
after which he handed his card to each. In this manner nearly 
all of the 1,000 pensioners must have been reached. 

After this “The Adult Blind Union” of New York city, having 
secured a small hall through the good offices of the Hon. George 
P. Richter, and having also by means of the pension list noti¬ 
fied selected persons to be present, invited the aforesaid Com¬ 
missioner to attend and to give an informal hearing. This he 
did, meeting about 100 adult blind men and women, most of 
whom are trying to conduct some business for themselves. A 
little later he attended in Brooklyn a meeting of about 40 men 
who are engaged in industrial pursuits. 

In both of these cases, after briefly explaining the objects of 
the Commission, a free discussion was invited upon any sub¬ 
ject connected with the work of the Commission, and an in¬ 
formal system of questioning was employed by him. But the 
results of the method adopted at the distribution of the pension 
were not very satisfactory, since most of the writers and callers, 
who were not very numerous, merely wished assistance in get¬ 
ting their pension. Even the others only suggested matters 
which were subsequently discussed at the two informal hearings. 
These two meetings were therefore more satisfactory, although 
even in these most of the grievances complained of and most of 
the schemes for betterment require no legislation on the part of 
the State, being matters belonging exclusively to New York city, 
and being controllable by that municipality. 

Although they would not take much trouble to make their 


1G 


[Assembly 


views known, there appears to be a practical unanimity of 
opinion among the adult blind of the city of New York with 
regard to the following matters: First, the removal of all those 
obstacles which would prevent them from making their living 
in any way which does not conflict with the rights of others; 
second, no radical change in the present pension system; third,, 
no attempt to compel them to go into a home for the blind; 
fourth, some legislation, if possible, to enable a blind person 
who is accompanied by a guide to travel for a single v fare upon 
any railway, trolley or other public carrying conveyance within 
the jurisdiction of the State of New York, which last matter has 
been under discussion among the blind for several years. 

These facts are not given as the views of the Commission, but 
as representing the thought of those of the adult blind reached 
by the Commissioner from Brooklyn. 

General Hearing. 

in addition to these informal hearings the full Commission 
on December 9th gave a public formal hearing at a meeting 
held under the auspices of the Buffalo Charity Organization 
Society, in the parlors of the Hotel Genesee in the city of Buf¬ 
falo. This meeting was attended by a number of charity work¬ 
ers and by blind men engaged in various occupations. Several 
of these spoke before the Commission, giving their views as to 
the difficulties which the blind must meet and the manner in 
which they could be overcome. 

Inquiries About Blind in Almshouses. 

As another aid to ascertaining the general condition of the 
adult blind in the State of New York, your Commission ad¬ 
dressed a circular letter to the superintendents of the poor of 


No. 6.] 17 

each of the counties of the State, with the exception of the city 
of New York, w T hich almshouse was personally visited by one 
of the members of vour Commission. 

This letter failing to elicit the information desired, a second 
letter was subsequently sent, and as a result of these two let¬ 
ters of inquiry replies were received from all the counties in the 
State with the exception of ten. 

A table showing by sexes the number of blind inmates in the 
almshouses of the State from which data were furnished forms 
Appendix D. 

From these replies, as will be seen by reference to Appendix 
1), it was learned that only 1.79 per cent, of the blind in the 
State are found in the almshouses, and of these, so far as can 
be determined from the facts given, not more than one in ten 
would be fit candidates for an industrial institution of any 
character whatever. 

EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR THE ADULT BLIND IN THE 

STATE OF NEW YORK. 

In following the second line of their investigation, i. e., in 
ascertaining what public or private measures have already been 
adopted either here or elsewhere for bettering the condition of 
the adult blind, your Commissioners naturally first gave their 
attention to this State; and they have personally visited each 
home mentioned as being within its limits. They feel, however, 
warranted in asserting that beyond the limits of the five 
boroughs which compose the present city of New York there is, 
with the exception of the almshouse, no public or private pro¬ 
vision of any kind for the adult blind. It is not even known that 

any adult blind persons are provided for in any home for the 

2 


18 


[Assembly 


aged, although it is possible that such may be the case in a very 
few instances. It was therefore only necessary to examine the 
various modes of assisting the adult blind which have been in¬ 
augurated in the city of New York, all of which are maintained 
by the city or by private liberality. 

I. City Pension for the Blind. 

So far as the adult blind of the Greater New York are con¬ 
cerned, the most far-reaching of all the charities, whether public 
or private, is the annual pension which the city grants to the 
majority of them. For the last forty years at least New York 
city has bestowed annually upon each adult blind person having 
no real or personal property, and not being an inmate of any 
charitable institution, a pension which has ranged from $35 to 
$50, the primary object being to help those who were trying to 
help themselves. When by the act of consolidation the Greater 
New York was formed this pension was extended to all the 
boroughs, the present charter providing that an amount not ex¬ 
ceeding $75,000 in any one year might be appropriated by the 
Board of Estimate and Apportionment for this purpose, and that 
no more than $100 should be granted to any one blind person. As 
a matter of fact, however, the appropriation has never reached 
this limit, that for the last year being $49,950, giving to each 
accepted applicant $49. As might be expected from the growth 
of the city the number of these pensioners continually increases, 
and last August it reached 1,018, not counting those who ap¬ 
plied but were rejected. To obtain this pension the applicant 
must fill out a certain blank. After this a public visitor em¬ 
ployed for that purpose is supposed to call at the residence of 
the applicant, and also to take any other means which may sug- 


No. G.]' 


19 


gest themselves in order to discover whether or not the appli¬ 
cant has made any false statements, and upon his report, 
provided the oculist who always examines his eyes concurs, the 
application is generally granted or denied. So far from being 
fixed by law r the date of payment is exceedingly irregular; 
neither are the blind of Brooklyn and New 7 York generally paid 
at the same time and never at the same place. Two or three 
days before the payment is to be made a postal is mailed to each 
applicant informing him or her of the date of payment, and this 
postal must generally be presented in person at the designated 
rendezvous, which is always the Department of Charities of 
New r York or Brooklyn, as the case may be. 

II. Adult Blind on Blackwell’s Island. 

The almshouse system of Blackwell’s Island also provides for 
a considerable number of adult blind persons. These persons 
are there of their own volition, and are in no sense criminals; 
those who are arrested for and convicted of vagrancy being 
sent to the workhouse on Hart’s Island, the number of such 
commitments being, it is unofficially said, about one a month. 
Through the consideration and kindness of Commissioner Folks 
the blind on Blackwell’s Island were separated from the other 
inmates of the almshouse and assigned two wards, one for men 

4 

and the other for women; and in this way they have been en¬ 
abled to fare somewhat better than their neighbors. When 
these wards (which are now called homes for the blind) were 
visited, they contained 67 men and 70 women, although the num¬ 
bers of each are continually varying. Nearly all the women 
appeared to be old, and only two of them had ever been pupils 
of an institution for the blind; and these the records show to 


20 


[Assembly 


have always been somewhat deficient in intellect. Among the 
men the case was somewhat different, as eight of them had 
once been pupils in some school for the blind, and the average 
age appeared to be much less than that of the women. But even 
in this ward it would be doubtful whether more than a fifth of 
the inmates could be taught, or could follow any trade. Never¬ 
theless Commissioner Folks some time ago started the broom 
industry among them, and as he was soon able to obtain all the 
brooms he required for his departments he was quite hopeful 
for the future of his undertaking. 

III. Private Homes for the Blind. 

There are within the limits of the present city of New York 
four private homes for the blind, containing in all somewhat 
more than 150 persons. 

Of these the largest is that maintained by the Society for the 
Relief of the Destitute Blind of New York City in the Borough 
of Manhattan, being situated at One hundred and fourth street 
and Amsterdam avenue. This is a home for both men and 
women, and maintains about 50 of each. It is supported entirely 
by private contributions, and although founded by an Episcopal 
clergyman, is now entirely nonsectarian. What industries are 

practiced are only for the benefit of the inmates and contribute 

* 

nothing towards the support of the home. 

The second in importance, which is called “The Industrial 
Home for the Blind,” is situated at 512 Gates avenue in the 
borough of Brooklyn, and it is in reality a home for men only. 
This home aims, first, to make its inmates self-supporting by 
furnishing them with constant work in certain industrial pur¬ 
suits while charging them a nominal board; and, second, to 


No. 6.1 


21 


furnish work to those blind men who wish to work there but to 
live elsewhere. The trades followed are the making of all kinds of 
brooms, the cam* seating of chairs and the making and renovat¬ 
ing of mattresses. When tins home was visited it was main¬ 
taining about 20 inmates, and furnishing partial work to about 
as many more, who nftiy Ik* called “ outmates,” although as it 
has abundant ground it is extending its accommodations. Nev¬ 
ertheless its superintendent, Mr. E. P. Morford, stated that 
the industrial department of the home barely paid its own 
expenses, so that the establishment is almost entirely dependent 
upon private liberality. This is the only industrial home in the 
State of New York. 

There is also in Brooklvn a home for blind women, and it is 
now located* at 550 Washington avenue. As the establishment 
was on the verge of financial ruin its care has been lately as¬ 
sumed by the Church Foundation of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church, although it is still open to all Protestants and receives 
some Catholics. When visited it contained 18 inmates, but no 
trades were followed. 

There is also in the borough of Richmond, i. e., Staten Island, 
a combined school and home for blind girls and women only 
which is called the St. Joseph’s Blind Asylum, and which is 
under the care of the Sisters of Oharitv. This home is at Mount 
Loretto, between Prince’s Bay and Pleasant Plains, and when it 
was visited contained onlv 12 adult inmates. Nevertheless Sis- 
ter Anne, who expended her own private fortune in erecting a 
most beautiful building, has accommodations for more than 100 
inmates, and she will without doubt soon receive such contribu¬ 
tions from Catholic sources as will enable her to provide for a 
large number of adults, together with the children. 


99 


[Assembly 


It will thus appear that the public and private charities of the 
entire city of New York reach no less than 1,300 of tlie probable 
1,800 adult blind persons of this city. 

It will now also be evident why, in an earlier portion of this 
report, your Commissioners stated that the conditions of the 
adult blind of New York city were apparently at least better 
than those of the adult blind who reside in any other part of the 
State, and that hence ihe blind of that city were not anxious 
about State assistance. 


EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR THE ADULT BLIND IN 

OTHER STATES. 


Whether in the United States or Europe all the methods 
which have been adopted in order to ameliorate Ihe condition of 
the adult blind may, your Commissioners believe, be classified 
under some one of the following divisions : 


(1) The giving of alms to them as mendicants simply. 

(2) The granting of pensions to them merely as indigent blind 
persons. 

(3) The establishment of homes for them in which they are 
required to do no work. 

(4) The endeavor to provide work for them in their own homes 
or elsewhere among the sighted; also when necessary to teach 
them some industrial pursuit in their own homes. 

(5) The establishment of industrial training schools in which 
the adult blind may be taught some suitable trade or business. 

(G) The establishment of industrial homes, i. e., homes in 
which the inmates are required at least to contribute towards 
their support by working at some trade. 

(7) The establishment of workshops, where the blind may 
work at certain trades but live outside. 


No. 6.] 


23 


(8) The offering of a combination of some of the preceding 
features, the last being ithe real status of almost every indus¬ 
trial home examined. 

The first three of these methods may be regarded as charity 
simply, while the others are various methods for encourage¬ 
ment of self-help. Again, the first, second and fourth of these 
methods are aids requiring no establishment for the blind, while 
the others are dependent upon such establishments. 

I. Mendicancy. 

Time did not permit, neither did your Commissioners feel it 
incumbent upon them to make any general inquiries as to the 
extent of mendicancy among the blind, although it is well known 
that direct personal gifts constitute the oldest and also the 
most common method of assisting those who have lost their 
sight, and it is believed that very many of the blind are de¬ 
pendent for their support either in whole or in part upon this 

form of charity. 

«/ 

II. Pensions. 

Besides the pension system which obtains in the city of New 
York, the city of Cleveland, Ohio, grants a pension of $100, 
payable semiannually, to the blind of that city. 

The General Assembly of the State of Illinois, in April, 1903, 
enacted into law a bill which provides that it shall be law T ful 
for anv countv, at the discretion of the county commissioners 
or the board of supervisors, to contribute to all male persons 
over the age of 21 years and to all female persons over the age 
of 18 years who are blind the sum of $150 per annum, payable 
quarterly. The law further provides that “ no person or per¬ 
sons who are charges of any charitable institution in this State 


24 


[Assembly 


or any county or city thereof, or persons having an income of 
more than $250 per annum, or persons who have not resided in 
the State of Illinois continually for ten consecutive years and 
in their respective counties three years immediately before ap¬ 
plying for said benefit, shall be entitled to the provisions of this 
act.” 

The foregoing pension provision of the State of Illinois, 
together with the pensions granted by the city of New York 
and the city of Cleveland, are the only pension provisions in 
the United States which have come to the knowledge of your 
Commissioners, but in Great Britain the pension system seems 
to be much more general. 

III. Homes. 

Except the homes already described in the State of New York, 
the only other home, pure and simple, which has come to the 
attention of your Commissioners is the one situated on Pavonia 

avenue, Jersey City, under the control of the Sisters of Charity 

/ 

and containing, when it was visited, more than 50 women. 

IV. Instruction of the Adult Blind in Their Own Homes. 

The only exemplification in this country of carrying instruc¬ 
tion to the blind in itheir own homes that has come to the atten¬ 
tion of your Commission is that which is now in vogue in the 
State of Massachusetts. From the first and second annual 
reports upon this, work, made by the Perkins Institution and 
Massachusetts School for the Blind to the State Board of Edu¬ 
cation, we glean the following information: “ By direction of 
the Legislature in 1899 the State Board of Education made an 
inquiry into the feasibility of instructing the adult blind at 
their homes.” The results of these investigations were sub- 


No. 6.] 


25 


ini tied in a report to the Legislature in May, 1900, written by 
the able secretary of the State Board of Education of the State 
of Massachusetts, the Hon. Frank A. Hill. In consequence 
thereof the following act submitted by the committee on edu¬ 
cation was passed: “ There shall be allowed and paid out of the 
treasury of the commonwealth a sum not exceeding $1,000, to 
be expended by the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts 
School for the Blind for flu* instruction of the adult blind in 
their homes; but no expenditure shall be made under this act 
until the plans of such instruction have received the approval of 
the State Board of Education. * * ' * ” 

“The work was inaugurated on the tirst of November, 1900, 
by the selection of two teachers, themselves blind, and a third 
was soon added to the number. 

“A thorough canvass of the cities and towns was then 
taken, in each of which the leaflets were freely circulated, and 
all through the newspapers, the schools, the churches and 
organized societies the attention of the citizens was called to the 
possibilities of the work and their cooperation urged. 

“There are now (January G, 1903) two men and two women 
•engaged in the work, a fourth teacher having been employed since 
the first day of September, 1902. These, apportioning the dif¬ 
ferent sections of the State among themselves, travel ceaselessly 
to and fro and make their arrangements so as to utilize time, dis¬ 
tance and money to the best possible advantage, and to visit each 
pupil regularly and frequently. 

“ The following statistics will give in brief form a compre¬ 
hensive view of the work accomplished for the years 1901 and 
1902. 


[Assembly 


20 


1901 . 1902 . 

Number visited. 130 140 

Number taught .data. 115 

Number refusing instruction. 20 25 

Number receiving instruction in reading. ... • C8 146 

Number receiving instruction in writing. ... 30 51 

Number receiving instruction in sewing .... 7 12 

Number receiving instruction in knitting ... 13 10 

Number receiving instruction in. crocheting . 1 3 

Number receiving instruction in use of sew¬ 
ing machine. 2 3 

Number receiving instruction in caning chair 

seats . 5 5 

Number receiving instruction in tuning piano 

fortes . 1 2 

Number receiving instruction in gymnastics. . 2 0 

Number receiving instruction in manual 

alphabet . 3 0 

Number receiving instruction in typewriting. 0 1 

Number receiving instruction in type slates. . 0 3 

Number receiving instruction in musical 

Braille . 0 7 

Average age of pupils.No data. 54 

Number over 50 years of age.No data. 110 

Number under 25.No data. 12 

Number of calls made by teachers. 265 619 

Number of lessons given by teachers. 942 1,293 

Number of miles traveled by teachers.. . 23,914 33,810 


The total expenses for the work from November, 1900, to the 
first of January, 1902, amounted to $3,583.15. The amount of 
money expended the second year is not shown in the report. 





















No. ().] 


27 


V. Industrial Training Schools. 

The best known, if not the only industrial training school in the 
strict sense of this term, is the Connecticut Institute and Indus¬ 
trial Home for the Blind, located at Hartford. This is a com¬ 
bined kindergarten and industrial training school, the two being 
in separate buildings. The industrial training school department 
maintains of late from 30 to 35 pupils, and is for the blind of 
both sexes without any restriction as to age or marriage. 

The General Assembly of Connecticut in 1893 passed an act 
creating a State Board of Education for the Blind, which con¬ 
sists of the Governor, the Chief Justice and two additional mem¬ 
bers appointed by the Governor for a term of four years. This 
board was charged with the educational interests of the blind of 
the State, both children and adults. They were empowered to 
make such rules as they deemed advisable in order to carry out 
the purpose of their creation. The applicants for admission are 
determined by this Board of Education upon the nomination of 
the superintendent of the institution. The appointments of 
adults are for the purpose of learning a trade, and are for a period 
of not exceeding three years, during which period the State ap¬ 
propriates |300 per annum. At the expiration of this appoint¬ 
ment the State also permits an expenditure of not exceeding $200 
for the purpose of furnishing the graduate with such tools or 
outfit as may be required for the trade that lie has learned. 

The superintendent reports that many graduates who are good 
workmen for others cannot succeed when they undertake to con¬ 
duct business for themselves, and it is this fact that causes the 
superintendent to feel that the workshop feature will ultimately 
be added to the institution. The superintendent states that, of 
the 105 adults who have received industrial training at the insti- 


2S 


[Assembly 


tution, at least 50 per cent, are practically self-supporting. The 
trades or occupations which are taught and the number receiving 
instruction in each are as follows: 

Broom making, 15 men. 

I 

Chair caning, 18 men and women. 

Mattress making, 3 persons. 

Upholstering, 1 person: 

Piano tuning, 2 persons. 

Printing, 1G, mostly women. 

Typewriting and massage, 2 each. 

Cooking, 1. 

VI. Industrial Homes. 

The most successful industrial home in the United States for 
blind men and blind women is the Industrial Home of Mechanical 
Trades for the Adult Blind, situated at Oakland, Cal. Inasmuch 
as it was impossible for any of your Commissioners to visit this 
institution, information on several important points is less defi¬ 
nite than is that concerning the institutions visited. 

From recent reports and correspondence we glean the following 
information: This institution,'established in 18ST by the State 
of California, by the appropriation of $65,000 for its support, has 
a capacity for about 110 inmates, only about one-fifth being 
women. The principal industries followed are the manufacture 
of brooms, mattresses and hammocks and the cane seating of 
chairs. The current expenses are apparently met by the proceeds 
of the labor of the inmates, but appropriations have been made 
by the Legislature for erecting and maintaining the necessary 
buildings. The proceeds of the labor for the fiscal year closing 
November 30, 1903, were $18,343.99. 


No. 6.] 


29 


f 


Judging from the material at hand your Commissioners are 
of the opinion that the efficiency of this institution is due in large 
measure to the wise management of its superintendent, Mr. 
Joseph Sanders, a graduate of the New York Institution for the 
Blind. 

VII. Workshops. 

(1) The Columbia Polytechnic Institute, which was founded 
by Mr. Frank E. Cleaveland, is situated at 1808 II street North¬ 
west, Washington, I>. C., and is at the present time merely a 
small printing establishment, conducted almost entirely by 
blind persons. In this respect it only emphasizes the possi¬ 
bility of one of the trades already followed at the Hartford 
institution, with which establishment Mr. Cleaveland was for¬ 
merly connected. But by the introduction of a simplex type¬ 
setter, which even when it is used by the sighted requires the 
services of two persons—one for -the keys and one to justify 
the type lines—he has rendered it possible, as this latter per¬ 
son can also read copy while a blind operator plays the keys, 
to employ no extra hand to read copy, while at the same time 
much more work is done than could be accomplished by two 
compositors. But although Mr. Cleaveland’s present plant is 
very small, employing about a dozen blind persons, and is also 
limited almost entirely to a single trade, his plans, if he can 
obtain the congressional aid which he has been expecting and 
which he still expects, seem very good. It is his hope to found 
an extensive institution or plant in which he can employ blind 
men and women upon the same conditions as if they possessed 
their sight, offering them a variety of trades and compelling 
them to find their own boarding quarters like the sighted. 

(2) As your Commissioners did not visit the Indiana Indus¬ 
trial Home foi* Blind Men, situated at 1146 West Twenty-seventh 


30 [Assembly 

street, Indianapolis, they will allow its superintendent, Mr. C. S. 
MoGiffin, to tell his own story regarding it: 

“ Our institution is not a home, as its corporate name indi¬ 
cates, but it is a factory organized to furnish indigent blind men 
with employment. When we first filed the articles of incorpora¬ 
tion in 1899 we were not sure at that time but that we might 
make it a home as well as a workshop, but after nearly four 
years’ experience in this line of work all of our board of 
directors and myself have concluded that we can do more good 
and get better results by giving this class of unfortunates steady 
employment, paying them wages according to the quantity and 
quality of their work so as to enable them to support them¬ 
selves either at their homes or boarding places. We hope in this 
w r ay to place our workmen as nearly as possible on an equality 
with those wiio are not deprived of their sight. 

“All of our workmen are engaged in the manufacture of 
brooms. We have been unable so far to find any other line of 
industry which they can w r ork at nearly as successfully as they 
can at the making of brooms. During the year ending July 1, 
1903, w r e completed and sold nearly 40,000 brooms. For this 
work w T e paid in wmges to blind men $2,500. Our books show a 
deficit of only $02. We consider this a good showing, taking 
into consideration that since our beginning we have only re¬ 
ceived in contributions about $3,500, out of wdiich w r e have paid 
for our building and machinery, the ground being donated, which 
only leaves us a very small amount for our working capital. - 

“We now* have only 16 men on our payroll. They earn from 
$4 to $8 a week. We find ready sale for our output and we are 
alw r ays behind with orders. It has been our intention since the 
beginning to make this institution self-supporting, and w^e firmly 


Xo. 6.] 


31 


believe that we can after we receive a sufficient amount of funds 
with which to operate our factory with a much larger force of 
men. We have applications from all parts of the State which 
we cannot take on account of the lack of funds. We are slowly 
but gradually increasing our capacity, and we are confident that 
we are building a good and substantial foundation for a model 
institution of its kind. 

“ * * * In regard to age limit, I do not think it best to 

admit men over 50 years of age.” 

(3) The following account of the workshop situated at South 
Boston is given by Mr. Anagnos, superintendent of the Perkins 
Institution and Massachusetts School for the Blind: 

“ This shop has neither organic nor any other connection 
whatsoever with the school, being an entirely separate estab¬ 
lishment. Its work is purely industrial or mechanical and is 
carried on in a suitable building for the sole purpose of pro¬ 
viding profitable employment for a number of blind persons 
whose character is blameless and who are both able and eager 
to earn their living through their own exertions. 

“ The transference of our salesroom and office to No. 383 
Boylston street has proved decidedly beneficial to this depart¬ 
ment. Since this change of location took place there has been 
a steadv increase in the business of the shop, and the time of 
all persons therein employed has been fully occupied. The 
ledger has been closed with a balance of $1,001 in favor of the 

department. 

tt Constant efforts have been put forth to facilitate, the sale 
of useful and fancy articles made by blind women, most of whom 
are graduates of the school and live in their own homes. 


32 


[Assembly 


VIII. Combination of Foregoing Plans. 

(1) The Pennsylvania Working Home for Blind Men, which 
is located in Philadelphia and is under the superintendency of 
Mr. H. L. Hall, himself a blind man, is primarily a combined 
manufacturing establishment and industrial home, but it alsa 
in certain cases may become an industrial training school, or 
even a home simply. The blind men whom it employs may either 
reside within the building or may board outside. In the case 
of the former a nominal charge of $2.25 per week is made, w T hich 
is deducted from their monthly pay, while in the case of the 
latter, it is believed, payment is made each week. But a blind 
man who has not previously learned a trade may be received 
and instructed, and Mr. Hall laughs at the notion that three 
years should be given simply to teaching a man his trade, as 
he claims that by first putting him at the simplest part of any 
trade, e. g., sorting broomcorn and keeping him at that work, he 
can begin to earn something within three weeks. Moreover, when 
a man has once been received into the establishment and con* 
tinues to conduct himself properly, he is not discharged on 
account of sickness or senilit} r , there being in connection with 
this establishment what Mr. Hall calls the retreat and into 
which those who become unable to work are retired. In this 
retreat men are charged nothing for board, neither are they 
required to work at all, but for such work as they may be able- 
and may choose to do they receive half pay, this money being 
given them without any deductions for their necessary living 
expenses. 

The principal trade now followed is that of broom making, 
although the cane seating of chairs and the weaving of rag 
carpet are followed to some extent. 


No. 6.] 


33 


This home is supposed to receive a biennial appropriation of 
$35,000 from the State of Pennsylvania and an annual donation 
of $5,000 from the city of Philadelphia. 

The establishment is run at a heavy loss, and it is not therefore 
able to receive all the worthy blind men who apply for admis¬ 
sion, such men being placed upon the waiting list. When visited 
by your Commissioners the home was aiding about 130 men, 
although it is believed that the waiting list was even somewhat 
greater than that number. Mr. Hall’s last biennial report shows 
that for the preceding two years there was a deficit of $55,800.24 
in order to aid an average of 121 blind men, IT of whom lived 
within and 74 without the building. This gives an annual deficit 
of about $230.78 for each blind person. To account for this 
deficit Mr. Hall says, among other things, that lie pays about 
forty-five cents a dozen more for his brooms than sighted work¬ 
men generally receive, while he is compelled also to employ some 
sighted aid, all the items of cost being shown in his report. For 
the coming two years the Stale will be asked for an appropria¬ 
tion of $60,000 in order that those, or a part of those who are upon 
the waiting list, may be given employment. Indeed, Mr. Hall 
admits that it costs as much to furnish his men with work as to 
maintain them in idleness. 

(2) The Working Home for Blind Women in the city of Phila¬ 
delphia, which is a private charity, maintains about 40 working 
women and 20 who have become too old to work, no one being 
received who is not in good health or who is above 45 years of 
age. The annual cost of this home is about $12,500, i. e., about 
$200 an inmate, thus approximating to Mr. Hall’s deficit. 

(3) The Illinois Industrial Home for the Blind, situated in 

tin* city of Chicago, was not personally visited by any member 

3 


34 [Assembly 

of your Commission, the following account being gleaned from . 
its report: 

“ This institution is designed to furnish such employment to 
the blind men and women of the State as will enable them to be 
self-supporting and self-respecting by the reason of their ability 
to thus maintain themselves. It was established in 1894 by the 
State. It provides work for TO inmates, male and female, at an 
annual per capita cost of about $400. Twelve workmen live out¬ 
side and the rest live in the home. The principal industry pur¬ 
sued is the making of brooms. Some do piecework, others are 
paid by the day. The maximum week wages for blind inmates 
is $1 per day, the minimum G6§ cents per day. Thirty seeing 
people are employed in the institution. Ready sale for all 
articles manufactured is found.” The superintendent's idea, as a 
result of his experience, would be to establish workshops for the 
blind, not homes. 

(4) Wisconsin also has just undertaken a measure for the aid 
of the adult blind of that State which, as the plans are not yet 
fully perfected, will be best explained by the law, which is here¬ 
with subjoined. 

“An act to provide the means of self-support to adult blind arti¬ 
sans and the means of instruction to those desiring to become 
artisans, and to appropriate money therefor. 

“ Preamble.—Whereas, there are many adult blind residents of 
this State who have learned trades, either at the State School 
for the Blind or elsewhere, but who are greatly embarrassed by 
reason of their infirmity in securing employment and who find 
themselves quite unable to compete successfully with those having 
sight, who are engaged in the same trades; and whereas, the 
State School for the Blind is not, and while it remains a school 
cannot, be adapted to furnish those adult artisans with proper 


No. 6.] 


35 


facilities to pursue their respective vocations without serious 
injury to the school; and whereas, it is believed that if a place 
and some suitable appliances were furnished them, they could so 
compete and become self-supporting. 

* 

To the end, therefore, that such reasonable aid may be ex¬ 
tended to such persons as will enable them successfully to pursue 
their several vocations, 

“ The People of The State of Wisconsin , represented in Senate 
and Assembly , do enact as follows: 

“ Section 1. Duty of board of control; material and tools.—The 
State Board of Control is hereby authorized and directed, sub¬ 
ject to the approval of the Governor, to procure a building, by 
lease or otherwise, or suitable apartments in some building 
situated in the city of Milwaukee, in which anv blind citizen of 
this State having learned a trade may, if practicable, pursue his 
vocation on his own account and receive for his own use the 
whole of the proceeds of his labor. Such building or apartments 
shall be heated and lighted under the direction of the Board of 
Control at the expense of the State. As a general rule it is ex¬ 
pected that artisans availing themselves of the privileges of this 
act will furnish their own materials and the tools required in 
their employment, but in cases of necessity the board may assist 
such workmen by furnishing for their use a limited amount of 
such tools. 

“Section 2. Instruction.—The said board may also, in its dis¬ 
cretion, provide means of instruction in such building or apart¬ 
ments to any adult blind resident of the State who desires to learn 
a trade, to enable such person to avail himself of the,privileges 

and benefits conferred by this act. 

“Section 3. Superintendent; compensation.—Said board is au¬ 
thorized to employ some person to have charge and superintend¬ 
ence of such building or apartments who shall direct what portion 
thereof shall be used by each person desiring to use the same. 
Said superintendent shall be paid a compensation to be fixed by 
the said board. 


[Assembly 


36 

“Section 4. Appropriation.—There is hereby appropriated out 
of any moneys in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 
the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) to be expended by the 
Board of Control in executing the requirements of this act during 
the current calendar year, and a further sum of five thousand 
dollars ($5,000) for such expenses during the year 1904. The 
expenditures under this act shall not exceed the sum herein ap¬ 
propriated unless the amount shall be increased pursuant to the 
provisions of section 503 of the Statutes of 1898. 

“Section 5. This act shall take effect and be enforced from and 
after its passage and publication. 

“Approved May 22, 1903.” 

(5) After much consideration of the matter the State of Michi¬ 
gan last winter provided a plan for aiding the adult blind, which 
includes the establishment of an industrial home, the providing 
of free instruction and training, the establishment of an informa¬ 
tion and employment bureau, together with a circulating library. 
It also provides for the furnishing of a suitable outfit of machin¬ 
ery, tools, etc., for those who may need them in order to follow 
the trades which they have learned. 

The general government of this institution is to be vested in 
a board of three trustees, exclusive of the Governor, who is a 
member ex officio, which board is to be called “Board of Trustees 
for the Blind ” This board is appointed by the Governor, with 
the advice and consent of the Senate, the full term of office of the 
members being six years; and it is also provided that, one member 
of the board shall always be a blind man. No salary is paid, but 
its members are allowed their traveling and other necessary 
expenses. 

The duties of the board are thus defined by law: “Said board 

• 

of trustees shall have the power, and it shall be their duty, so to 
provide, equip and control the said institution as to carry into 


effect all the intents and purposes of this act; and to this ■■end 
shall establish, open and regulate an industrial or polytechnic 
school and factory, a working home, and an employment and in¬ 
formation bureau and circulating library, for the benefit of adult 
blind persons of good moral character, together with such other 
departments as in their judgment may seem wise and judicious 
and best calculated to promote the objects and the efficiency of 
said institution.” 

It is still further provided that persons of good moral character 
may be received into this institution between the ages of 18 and 
(JO, and also, at the discretion of the board, those over CO; while 
with the consent of tin* Hoard of Control of the Michigan School 
for the Blind thev mav also be admitted between the ages of 14 
and JL8 years. It is also provided that the period of instruction in 
any particular case shall not exceed three years, the State mean¬ 
while defraying all necessary expenses. 

For the accomplishment of these purposes the State has appro¬ 
priated the sum of fSo.OOO for the first year and filo.OOO for the 
second year of the institution. 

The act making these provisions is entitled: “An act to estab¬ 
lish the Michigan Employment Institution for the Blind and pro¬ 
vide for its management, to make an appropriation therefor, and 
to provide for a tax to meet the same, but as it is voluminous, 
consisting of fifteen sections, and as the details of this institu¬ 
tion are not yet arranged, it is believed that the above synopsis 
will prove to be a sufficiently detailed account. 


GENERALITY OF MOVEMENT TO AID THE ADULT 

BLIND. 


If each of the provisions which have been previously men¬ 
tioned be examined with reference to locality of inception or 
of operation, as the case may be, it will appear that the move- 


38 


[Assembly 


meat to aid the adult blind of the United States in some manner 
is very general among the people and States of the Union. This 
fact will be more evident from the provisions made by each 
State if examined separately. 

(1) California has an industrial home containing considerably 
more than 100 adult blind persons. 

(2) Connecticut has the largest, if not the only, industrial 
training school in the United States. 

(3) From this training school the Columbia Polytechnic Insti¬ 
tute of Washington, 1). C., originated; and it may also be noticed 
in passing that there is a home for the blind in Washington 
which vour Commissioners did not visit because it is small and 
possesses no industrial features of importance. 

(4) Illinois has, by legislative enactment, founded a combined 
home and shop in the city of Chicago. 

(5) Indiana has a true workshop incorporated as an industrial 
home, the home feature having been abandoned. 

(G) The State of Iowa in 1892 founded an industrial home for 
both sexes, but being unwise in the selection of a small rural 
town as a site, and unfortunate in its management, it failed to 
retain the confidence of the people, the Legislature refused to 
appropriate the necessary funds and the institution has been 
compelled to suspend operations for the present, though Ihe 
State still owns the property. 

(7) It has also come to the knowledge of your Commissioners 
that a movement has been started in the State of Maim 1 to 
found an “Industrial Home and School for the Blind,” and the 
Legislature will at its next session be asked to appropriate a 
sum of money for its establishment. But as the plan is only in 
embryo, no definite information regarding it can be given. 


No. C>. 


39 


(8) In Massachusetts a workshop for those of the adult blind 
Avho can avail themselves of its privileges is maintained under 
the control of the Massachusetts school. In addition to this, 
the movement for the instruction of the adult blind in their 
homes was initiated in this State; and in the last place, the 
State created last summer a commission similar to that which 
was created by your honorable body, the report of which com¬ 
mission has just been published. 

(9) The State of Michigan appropriated last year the sum of 
$110,000 for the purpose of aiding the adult blind, although the 
institution which is to be founded is not .yet in operation. 

(10) In New Jersey there is a home containing about 50 women 
under the direction of the Sisters of Charity. 

e/ 

(11 1 The city of New York has for a long time pensioned most 
of its adult blind citizens, in addition to which private philan¬ 
thropise has founded no less than four homes; but outside of the 
citv the first movement to better the condition of the adult 
blind seems to have been made by the appointment of your 
Commissioners. 

i 

(12) To the State of Pennsylvania belongs the oldest and best 
known of all tin* employment agencies for the adult blind in 
this country, the Pennsylvania Working Home for Blind Men, 
and private philanthropy has founded a large institution for the 
maintenance of blind women. 

(13) Last of all, the State of Wisconsin has appropriated 
money for an experimental training school and workshop for the 
adult blind. 

Thus it will appear that, excluding the State of New York, a 
movement to ameliorate the condition of the adult blind has 
been felt in eleven States, as well as in the District of Columbia; 


40 


[Assembly 


and there can be little doubt that the impulse which has made 
itself apparent in these States is silently at work and will 
shortly exhibit itself in many others. 

• t 


PROVISIONS FOR THE ADULT BLIND IN OTHER 

COUNTRIES. 

No member of your Commission felt himself warranted in 
attempting a personal visitation of any of the establishments 
for the adult blind in Europe, although it is believed that some 
of these have reached a degree of efficiency higher than that 
which has been attained by corresponding institutions in the 
United States. Moreover, as the method of correspondence is- 
always slow and unsatisfactory, requiring usually four or live 
letters of inquiry before the exact information desired can be 
obtained, your Commissioners found it advisable to coniine 
their inquiries to Great Britain; and even here the letters and 
reports which have been received are not generally of such a 
character as would enable a person to form an accurate esti¬ 
mate of the true status of each institution with reference to the 
work of your Commission. 

The most successful and most celebrated of all of the indus¬ 
trial institutions for the adult blind in the British empire is 
undoubtedly that which is situated in Glasgow, Scotland, and 
as the head of that institution recently visited the United 
States, it was the good fortune of one of your Commissioners 
to obtain a personal interview with him, from which he was able 
1o form a very accurate notion as to the modus operandi of the 
establishment. 

The Royal Glasgow Asylum for the Blind, under the super- 
intendency of Mr. Thomas Stoddart, may be said to comprise 
three departments, the first being a common school, the second 


No. 6.] 


41 


an industrial training school and the third a manufacturing 
establishment. 

In the school the children are generally kept until the age of 
16, although in a few cases this period is extended for one or 
two years. The number of pupils in attendance is usually about 
80. After leaving school the pupil generally enters the second 
department, and he is there apprenticed to learn the trade which 
he intends to follow, the rules being the same as those which the 
trade unions prescribe for sighted persons. This department 
trains also those who lose their sight in adult life, and many 
such receive training. 

As the three departments of this institution are for the adult 
blind of both sexes, the trades taught in this department are 
some for men, some for women and some for both; and these 
trades, which are nine or ten in number, omitting certain special 


cases, are the following: 

(1) Basket making, which is practiced by men only. 

\2) Mat weaving o'f many kinds, being practiced exclusively by 


men. 

(3) Brush making, a trade for men only. In this connection 
Mr. Stoddart said that they had been able to secure contracts 
for furnishing such brushes or brooms as are employed in sweep¬ 
ing the streets of Glasgow or of other cities. It: must, however, 
be borne in mind that broom making, as practiced in (his conn- 
trv cannot be followed in Glasgow, since il would be necessary 
to import, at great expense, all the corn required. 

(4) Cane seating of chairs, a trade which is followed mostly, 
if not entirely, by women; and this is not peculiar to Glasgow. 

(5) Mattress making, or as the report says, “ bedding,’ a trade 
using the combined labor of men and women. 


42 


[Assembly 


(6) Wire work, a (trade which is followed by men only. 

(7) Some kinds of carpentering are practiced by a few of the 
men, and one of them is even running a buzz-saw. For this Mr. 
Stoddart has been told that he was wicked, although he says 
that he does not think the man is in the slightest danger. They 
also make armorial shields for halls, and do much work which 
is thought to require sight. 

(8) The cordage trade, which employs both sexes, is one of con¬ 
siderable extent. 

(D) The sacking trade, involving various kinds of cloth work, 
is carried on by women onlv. 

(10) Knitting, fancy work and general sewing are also learned 
by many of the girls; and Mr. Stoddart savs that the most serv- 

«y O / c 

iceable occupation which he has yet found for women is the 
use of the sewing machine. He always runs these machines by 
some power other than foot in order that the operator may be 
able to give her whole attention to guiding her work, and also 
because he thinks the blind women are physically weak and 
does not wish to weary them. 

In the third, or manufacturing department, work is furnished 
to those blind persons who. having finished their industrial 
training, choose to continue their connection with the institu¬ 
tion. This department generally employs about 200 blind per 
sons, all of whom reside without the institution; and even in 
the other departments pupils are not only allowed but are 
compelled to live outside when it is possible for them to do so. 
The workmen are paid by the piece, and there is a system of 
grading according to the excellency of their work. For those 
of the first grade a minimum wage of 18 shillings per week is 
fixed; i. e., that wage is made up to them if they cannot earn it, 
while a very few have earned as much as 2 pounds per week. 


No. (>. 


43 


All of the workers belong to a mutual benefit association, to 
which they pay 1 shilling per week, and which is managed en¬ 
tirely by themselves. Each member receives L pound per week 
during sickness, or as a pension when he is disabled by age; and 
in case of death 2 pounds are to be paid toward his funeral 
expenses. This society also sends visitors to investigate the 
condition of those blind of Glasgow who are not connected with 
the institution and to aid them with work. 


In order to increase the sale of their manufactured goods Mr. 
Stoddart employs tin* services of traveling agents, and he also 
keeps on hand certain goods not made by the blind but of a 
character connecting them with such goods. Thus, to sell his 
bedding, he keeps bedsteads; and because he sells clotheslines, 
he keeps clothespins, etc. 

While Mr. Stoddart admits that a shop maintaining one, or at 
the most two, trades, could be more easily managed than that 
which he controls, he does not agree with Mr. Hall of Philadel¬ 
phia in thinking that it is advisable to thus restrict the industries 
for the blind. He says that whatever may be the conditions 
elsewhere, la* is certain that he could not sell all the goods which 
his shop would turn out were his people confined to the pursuit 
of one or two trades only. 

Mr. StoddarFs experience goes far toward answering the ques¬ 
tion as to the ability of those blind persons who lose their sight 
in middle life to learn and successfully follow any trade. For, 
owing 1o the conditions which prevail in Glasgow, there being 
many dangerous occupations among the sighted, e. g., the manu¬ 
facture of dynamite, etc., many men have their eyes destroyed 
Iona after they have become adults. Hence many such persons 
have entered the training department, and he says that it has 


44 


[Assembly 


generally been found possible to teach them some one or more of 
the trades. This fact affords also another argument for a variety 
of pursuits, since many of those who enter the training depart¬ 
ment under the circumstances which have just been explained 
have at some period of life followed an occupation which is the 
same as or kindred to that which they now decide to adopt. 

Mr. Stoddart thinks a city to be the best place for his or a 
similar establishment, since in a small community the coloniza- 
tion of a considerable number of adult blind persons whose sup¬ 
port was not guaranteed from without would probably awaken a 
fear that many of them might ultimately become a public charge. 

Tt may be added that the number of sighted persons employed 

i 

in the shop is about ten per cent., and that the workshops are 
self-supporting. 

In addition to this personal interview your Commissioners 
have also corresponded with and received letters or reports from 
23 industrial and other institutions, list of which is given in 
Appendix E, page 65 of this report. 

These letters and reports, however, while containing much 
valuable information which your Commissioners could supply to 
their successors, should they be appointed, are not of such a 
character as would enable a person in most cases to say what is 
the precise status of each institution with reference to the work 
of your Commission. It appears, however, that the larger of 
these institutions are conducted very much upon the plan of that 
which is situated at Glasgow, while most of the smaller are in¬ 
dustrial training schools or workshops, and also that in Great 
Britain much more attention is given to the industrial than to 
the intellectual training of the blind. 


No. 6.] 


45 


There are also a few points upon which the writers of the 
letters are tolerably well agreed. The first is that, except for 
women, the adult blind should be furnished with workshops 
where they can work as “ outmates ” and not with industrial 
homes. Another point is that they should be paid trade-union 
wages, although it appears from the reports that it is necessary 
in many cases to supplement these by methods which need not be 
described here. The trades taught are also much the same in 
each, viz, brush making, basket making, cane seating of chairs 
and mattress making, which they call “ bedding”; but there is, 
as might be expected, considerable diversity of opinion among 
these writers as to what trade or trades are best. 

Besides the letters and reports to which reference has just been 
made, those who may be interested in the industrial training of 
the blind would do well to examine Armitage’s “ Education and 
Employment of the Blind ” (1886) ; “ Report of the Conference on 

f 

Matters Relating to the Blind,” held at Westminster in April, 
1902; and Henry J. Wilson’s pamphlet, entitled “ Information 
with Regard to Institutions, Societies and Classes for the Blind 
in England and Wales” (1890), all of which will furnish much 
valuable information. 


PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS. 

Although your Commission has not been charged with the duty 

/ 

of investigating the causes of blindness, still it is evident from 
the work done elsewhere, especially in Great Britain by the So- 
cietv for the Prevention of Blindness, that much can be done, 
particularly among young children, to prevent the loss of sight. 
The State has already taken cognizance of the importance of this 
fact by the passage of a law known as chapter 41 of the Laws 


46 


[Assembly 


of 1890, entitled “An act for the prevention of blindness.” The 

i 

first two sections of this law, giving in brief the provisions of the 
act, are printed in full. 

‘‘Section 1. Should any midwife or nurse, having charge of 
an infant in this State, notice that one or both eyes of such 
infant are inflamed or reddened at any time within two weeks 
after its birth it shall be the duty of such midwife or nurse, so 
having charge of such infant, to report the fact in writing, within 
six hours, to the health officer, or some legally qualified prac¬ 
titioner of medicine, of the city, town or district in which the 
parents of the infant reside. 

“ § 2. Any failure to comply with the provisions of this act 
shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $100, or imprisonment 
not to exceed six months, or both.” 

Your Commission is assured that if work of this character 
were carried out more generally in conjunction with existing 
authorities sight might be saved in the case of many children 
where otherwise blindness inevitably results. 

GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 

Although time did not permit your Commissioners to complete 
their investigations as to the condition of the adult blind of the 
State along the lines indicated, nevertheless the following general 
statements will, they believe, only be confirmed by more extended 
examination: 

(1) The blind of the State are in general very poor, and they 
usually have as their nearest relatives persons who are not in 
good financial circumstances. 

(2) At least 65 per cent, of them are too old to acquire and to 
follow any industrial occupation, while another and unknown 
proportion of them are physically or mentally unsound. 


No. 6.] 


47 


'(3) Tn the case of many who are sound, long enforced idleness 
has destroyed the desire to work, so that it would require time to 
overcome the indolence to which they have become habituated. 

t/ 

(4) Most of the blind, especially among the women, do not 
travel far alone, and hence they must reside near their work or it 
must be carried to them. 

(5) The adult blind of the Greater New York are apparently 
better situated than those of the rest of the State, and they do 
not therefore evince any particular desire for State assistance. 
But it is not intended here to assert that a more thorough in- 

. vestigation might not show these seemingly favorable conditions 
to be in reality no more advantageous than those which prevail in 
other localities. 


(G) As a result of a personal visitation of nearly 1,000 of the 
blind of the State and of correspondence with the superintendents 
of the poor the Commission find that many of the blind, especially 


of the women, are for the most part comfortably cared for in the 


homes either of relatives or of friends. It would seem unwise 
under such conditions to cultivate the “ institutional habit ” by 
segregating those thus situated in homes especially provided for 
the blind. 

(7) Extended experience in Great Britain and the t nited 
States seems to indicate that “workshops,”for adult blind men at 

least who are of working age, are generally far more successful 

• 

than are“ industrial homes.” 


(8) The experience of all engaged in the education of the blind, 
and the facts gathered by your Commission in its work, prove con¬ 
clusively that a few of the adult blind, even under existing condi¬ 
tions, become wholly or partially self-supporting. 


48 


[Assembly 


(9) Tire experience of very many blind men who have en- 
deavored to follow the trades learned at some school for the blind 
proves that, while the product of their labor would probably be 
of sufficient value to afford them a comfortable support, the time 
consumed in selling this product prevents them in reality from 
gaining such support. 

(10) Your Commission believe that adults and children should 
not be trained in the same institution or under the same manage¬ 
ment. Some form of manual training for boys should take the 
place of the industrial training now conducted in schools for the 
young blind. 

(11) Your Commission find that all attempts to combine indus¬ 
try and charity in the same establishment and under the same 
management have proved in every instance to be at best, financial 
failures, and in its judgment such must continue to be the case 
since by this combination a premium is put upon idleness by giv¬ 
ing the most charity to the least industrious person. 

(12) It is generally recognized by social economists that, while 
the giving of pensions is the simplest method of aiding those who 
seem to require financial assistance, it is in a very large number 
of instances not only an unwise method but is demoralizing in its 
effect upon the recipients. 

(13) With all the deductions that have been previously made, 
there are still very many adult blind men and women who are ca¬ 
pable of being taught and of following some industrial trade for 
whom suitable provisions should be made. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

First.—We recommend that the work of personal visitation 
begun by this Commission shall be carried on and completed for 
the blind of the entire State. 


No. 0.] 


49 




Second.—We recommend that provision be made for the indus¬ 
trial training of tlie blind over 21 years of age—and to that end 
that in the citv of Buffalo there be established tentatively, in a 
rented building, one industrial training school or “school-shop, 
and that as soon as possible manual training replace the indus¬ 
tries now followed in the State School for the Blind. 

Third.—We recommend such modification of existing laws as 
will enable the blind (o sell their products to State and muni¬ 
cipal institutions. 

Fourth.—We further recommend that measures shall be taken 
to determine the causes of existing blindness, and that such pre¬ 
ventive measures be employed as will tend to lessen future blind¬ 
ness in the State. 

Fifth.—To carry out the foregoing recommendations we finally 
recommend that there shall be established a permanent Commis¬ 
sion; and in accord with the provisions of the act by which your 
Commission was appointed we herewith subjoin the draft of a 
bill embodying the recommendations contained in this report. 

That the proposed legislation is in accord with a very general 
movement in Great Britian and the United States is evidenced, 
first, by the appointment in 1885 by the English government of 

“The Koval Commission on the Blind, Deaf and Dumb,” which 

/ / 

did not issue its report until 1889; second, by the creation by the 

General Assembly of the State of Connecticut in 1893 of a similar 

* * 

permanent commission known as the “State Board of Education 
for the Blind;” and third, by the fact that the Massachusetts 
Commission to Investigate the Condition of the Adult Blind of 
that State, appointed in 1903, has just presented the draft of a 
bill which provides for the establishment of a permanent “Board 
for the Improvement of'* the Condition of the Adult Blind in 
Massachusetts.” 


4 



50 [Assembly, No. 6.] 


In conclusion we call attention to the appendices which form 
a part of this report, and which contain various information in 
statistical and tabulated form. By reference to the financial 
statement in Appendix F it will appear that less than one-half 
of the moneys appropriated for their work has been expended by 
your Commissioners. 


All of which is respectfully submitted. 

F. PARK LEWIS, 


President. 

LEWIS BUFFETT CARLL, 

Vice-President. 

O. H. BURRITT, 


Secretary. 


Office of the Commission, 

Batavia, N. Y., February 1, 1904. 




DRAFT OF PROPOSED BILL. 


An act to provide for the appointment of a permanent Commis¬ 
sion to supervise, direct and control the educational and in¬ 
dustrial interests of the adult blind of the State of New York, 
and to make appropriations to meet the expenses of such 
Commission. 

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and 
Assembly, do enact as follows: 

Section 1. Within thirty days after the passage of this act, the 
Governor shall appoint a permanent Commission of three persons, 
which shall be known as the Commission for the Improvement of 
the Condition of the Adult Blind in the State of New Y'ork. 

§ 2. The term of office of the Commissioners shall be three years, 
but of the first Commission appointed the term of one member 
shall expire at the end of one year and that of another at the end 
of two years. At the conclusion of the term of each his successor 
shall be appointed for a full term of three years. 

§ 3. This Commission shall, as soon as possible after its appoint¬ 
ment, meet and determine by lot the length of term of service of 
each Commissioner, as specified in section 2 of this act. 

§ 4. The Commission shall, at its first meeting, elect one of its 
members as president, who shall preside at its meetings, and who 
shall have power to call meetings when it shall be deemed advis¬ 
able. 

§ 5. The members of said Commission shall serve without com¬ 
pensation, but they shall be allowed reasonable and necessary 
expenses incurred in the performance of their several duties as 
Commissioners, same to be audited by the Comptroller and paid 
by the Treasurer. 

§ It shall be the duty of this Commission to prepare and to 
maintain by personal visitation, correspondence or such other 
means as may seem advisable, a complete record of the adult 
blind in the State of New York, which record shall describe the 


52 


[Assembly, No. 6.] 


condition, cause of blindness, capacity for educational and in¬ 
dustrial training of each, together with such other facts as may 
seem to the Commission to be of value. 

§ 7. It shall be the duty of the Commission to make inquiries 
concerning the causes of blindness, to learn what proportion of 
these cases are preventable and to inaugurate such preventive 
measures for the State of New York as mav seem wise. 

§ 8. The Commission may aid those of the adult blind, whom 
they consider worthy, in finding employment and may develop 
industry in their homes, or supply supplemental educational 
opportunities to those for whom such aid would be especially 
helpful. In furtherance thereof they may furnish material, tools 
or such other assistance as may seem necessary to an amount not 
exceeding |200 to any one individual, and may establish an 
exchange for the marketing of the products of their labor. 

§ 0. The Commission shall, with the approval of the Governor, 
establish one or more industrial training or “ shop-schools,” and 
be empowered to equip and maintain the same, to pay to 
employees suitable wages and establish agencies for the sale and 
distribution of the products thereof. 

§ 10. The Commission shall make an annual report of its pro¬ 
ceedings to the Governor and the Legislature, and may make such 
recommendations, in the interest of the blind, as may be necessary. 

§ 11. For the year ending December 31, 1904, in addition to the 
unexpended balance appropriated by chapter 576, Laws of 1903, 
the sum of $8,500, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is 
hereby appropriated to carry out the work of the commission. 

§ 12. This act shall take effect immediately. 


APPENDIX A* 


STATISTICAL TABLES BASED UPON THE 


UNITED 


STATES CENSUS OF 1900. 


Table of the Blind of the State of New York Showing Sex, 
Age, Totals and Percentage by Decades. 


Age. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Percentage. 

0- 10 . 

73 

62 

135 

2.24 

10-21 . 

250 

199 

449 

7.47 

21-30 . 

219 

140 

359 

5.97 

30- 40 . 

257 

173 

430 

7.15 

40- 50 . 

353 

233 

586 

9.75 

50-60 . 

494 

338 

832 

13.84 

60- 70 . 

574 

443 

1017 

16.92 

70- 80 . 

651 

565 

1216 

20.23 

80-90 . 

374 

410 

784 

13.04 

90-100 . 

63 

105 

168 

2.79 

100 . 

9 

6 

8 

.13 

Unknown . 

... 5 

19 

24 

.39 


3,315 

/ 

2,693 

6,008 

100.00 




























54 


[Assembly 


II. 

Table Showing the Blind of the State of New York of School 


Age (Under 21), 

Working Age (21-50), Possible 

Working 

Age (50-60) and Non-Working Age (Over 

60). 


Age. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Percentage. 

Under 21 . 

323 

261 

584 

9.72 

21-50 . 

829 

546 

1,375 

22.88 

50-60 . 

494 

338 

832 

13.84 

Over 60 . 

1,664 

1,529 

3,193 

53.14 

Unknown . 

5 

19 

24 

.39 


3,315 

v -- 

2,693 

6,008 

100.00 


III 




Table Showing the 

Blind of the State of 

New York Who 

Have 

Additional 

Sense Defects. 



Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Percentage. 

Blind and deaf .... 

139 

130 

269 

4.47 

Blind, deaf and dumb. . 19 

9 

28 

.46 


158 

139 

297 

4.93 

Tables Showing the 

Blind of School Age (Under 21), Work- 

ing Age (21-50), 

Possible Working Age (50-60), 

and Non- 

Working Age (Over 60), of 

the Cities of 

the First Class, 

Separately and < 

Combined. 




I. 

City of Ne 

w York. 



Age. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Percentage. 

Under 21 . 

145 

141 

286 

• • » » 

21-50 . 

318 

210 

528 

• • • • 

50-60 . 

154 

114 

268 

• • • • 

Over 60. 

279 

379 

658 

• • i » 

Unknown . 

4 

2 

6 

• • • t 


900 


846 


1,746 


29.06 

















































No. 6.] 


55 


II. Buffalo. 


Male. Female. Total. Percentage. 

Under 21 . 14 17 31 _ 

21-50 . 44 14 58 

50-60 . 10 14 24 

Over 60 . 51 50 101 _ 

Unknown . 1 1 2 _ 

120 96 216 3.59 


III. Cities of the First Class. 


Age. Male. Female. Total. Percentage. 

Under 21 . 159 158 317 _ 

21-50 .. .. 362 224 586 

50-60 .. 164 128 292 _ 

Over 60 . 330 429 759 _ 

Unknown . 5 3 8 .... 


1,020 

942 

1,962 

32.65 


Tables Showing the Blind of School Age (Under 21), Work¬ 
ing Age (21-50), Possible Working Age (50-60), and Non- 
Working Age (Over 60), of the Cities of the Second Class, 
Separately and Combined. 

I. Albany. 


Age. Male. Female. Total. Percentage. 

Under 21 . 6 3 9 - 

21-50.;. 10 13 23 - 

50-00 . 6 4 10 - 

Over 60 . 15 20 35 


37 40 77 


1.28 





















































50 


[Assembly 


11. Rochester. 


"Age. 

Under 21 . 

21-50 . 

50-60 . 

Over 60 . 

Male. 

. 12 

. 18 

. 16 

. 33 

Female. 

2 

7 

4 

31 

Total. 

14 

25 

20 

64 

Percentage. 

• • • • 

• • • • 

• • • • 

• • • • 


79 

44 

123 

2.04 

- 

III. Syracuse. 



Age. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Pereen tage. 

Under 21 . 

o 

7 

9 

• • • • 

21-50 . 

. 18 

11 

29 

• • • • 

50-60 . 

rr 

5 

12 

• « • • 

Over 60 . 

. 21 

25 

46 

• • • ♦ 


48 

48 

96 

1.59 


IV. Troy. 




Age. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Percentage. 

Under 21 . 

. 4 

1 

5 


21-50 . 

. 9 

6 

15 


50-60 . 

. 6 

*> 

* > 

9 


Over 60. 

. 18 

13 

31 

• 







37 

23 

60 

. 99 


Age. 

Under 21 
21-50 . . . 
50-60 . . . 
Over 60 . 


Utica. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. Percentage. 

4 

4 

8 . 

6 

9 

8 . 


Q 

r* 

( . 



13 

10 

23 . 


1 

1. 


Unknown 















































































3*0. 6.] 


57 


\ I. Cities of the Second Class. 


Age. 

Under 21 . 

Male. 

. 28 

Female. 

17 

Total. 

45 

Percentage. 

21-50 . 


39 

100 

58 


50-60. 


18 


Over 60. 


99 

199 


Unknown. 


1 

1 







229 

174 

403 

6.70 

Table Showing 

the Blind of the 

Cities of 

the First and 


Second Classes Combined. 



New York. 

Male. 

. 900 

Female. 

846 

Total. 

1,746 

Percentage. 

29.06 

Buffalo . 

. 120 

96 

216 

3.59 

Albany. 

. 37 

40 

77 

1.28 

Rochester. 

. 79 

44 

123 

2.04 

Syracuse. 

. 48 

48 

96 

1.59 

Trov. 

«/ 

. 37 

23 

60 

.99 

Utica. 

. 28 

19 

• 

47 

.78 


1,249 

1,116 

2,365 

39.33 


OBSERVATIONS REGARDING CENSES LIST. 

While the census list was of great value and proved indis¬ 
pensable to the work of your Commissioners, still it would 
appear that by the exercise of a little more care on the part of the 
enumerators the returns might be made more trustworthy. In 
examining this list it was incidentally discovered that 253 names, 
or 4 per cent, of the whole number, had been altogether omitted. 
A^ain, out of 114 blind persons found in the almshouses of the 












































58 


[Assembly, No. 6.J 


State, 51, or nearly 45 per cent., were not found on the census 
list; and finally, in the personal visitation of 960 persons the 
names of 88 individuals, or about 6 per cent, of the whole num¬ 
ber, could not be found on the census roll, while the names of 
36 persons, or 3% per cent, of the whole, were erroneously 
reported blind. 


APPENDIX B. 


STATISTICAL TABLES BASED I'PON THE PENSION LIST 

OF 1003 OF NEW YORK CITY. 


I. 

Table op the Blind Pensioners of the City op New York 
Showing Sex, Age, Totals and Percentage by Decades. 


Male. Female. Total. Percentage.. 

21-30. 82 47 129 12.87 

30-40 . 119 75 194 19.36 

40-50 . 119 68 187 18.66 

50-60 . 92 76 168 16.76 

60-70 . 101 82 183 18.76 

70-80 . 49 55 104 10.37 

80-90 . 17 17 34 3.39 

90-100 . 1 2 3 .29 


580 422 1,002 100.00 


II. 

Table of the Blind Pensioners of the City of New York of 
Working Age (21-50), Possible Working Age (50-60) and 
Non-woricng Age (Over 60). 


Age. Male. Female. Total. Percentage. 

21-50 .. 320 190 510 50.89 

50-00 . 93 TO 108 10.70 

Over 60. 168 156 324 32.33 


580 422 1,002 100.00 







































APPENDIX G 


MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS REGARDING THE 960 
BLIND, COMPILED FROM THE RETURNS OF THE 
VISITORS. 



Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Cases investigated. 

5 28 

432 

960 

Not on census list of 1900. 

42 

46 

88 

Dead. 

117 

101 

218 

Not located. 

27 

23 

50 

Removed from State. 

10 

5 

15 

Erroneous]v reported blind. 

22 

13 

36 

Recovered sight. 

4 

5 

9 

Lost sight since census enumera- 




tion . 

9 

3 

12 

Tola 11 v blind. 

«/ 

205 

169 

374 

Partiallv blind. 

126 

93 

219 

Unknown . 

30 

9 

39 

Under 21. 

23 

24 

47 

Inmates of charitable institutions 

28 

42 

70 

Inmates of almshouses and former 




pupils in schools for the blind. . 

1 

2 

3 

Possible candidates (21-50 years) 




for an industrial institution... 

54 

16 

70 

Possible candidates (50-60 years) 




for an industrial institution... 

25 

6 

3L 

Possible candidates for a home. .. 

28 

99 

50 

Self-supporting. 

57 

4 

61 

Contributing to support. 

70 

64 

134 
























APPENDIX D. 


STATISTICAL TABLES REGARDING 
ALMSHOUSES OF THE STATE, 
YORK EXCEPTED. 


THE BLIND IN THE 
THE CITY OF NEW 


' r 


I. 

Table Showing by Sexes the Number op Blind Inmates in 
Each of the Almshouses of the State. 


Albany .... 
Allegany .. . 
Broome 
Cattaraugus 
Cayuga 
(diautauqua 
Chemung . . 
Chenango . . 
Clinton 
Columbia . . 
Cortland ... 
Delaware .. 
1 hitchess .. . 

Erie. 

Essex. 

Franklin . . . 

Fulton. 

Genesee . .. 


Male. Female. Total. 

12 2 4 

1 . 1 


No data. 

3 1 4 

1 1 2 

No data. . 

1 2 3 

No data. 

1 1 

13 4 


3 3 6 


1 

1 


•> 


l 

1 


Greene 


1 
















































G2 


[Assembly 


Hamilton . . 
Herkimer . . 
Jefferson . .. 

Lewis . 

Livingston . 
Madison 
Monroe .... 
Montgomery 
Nassau 
Niagara 
Oneida .... 
Onondaga . . 
Ontario 
Orange 
Orleans .... 
Oswego .... 

Otsego . 

Putnam 
Rensselaer . 
Rockland . .. 
St. Lawrence 
Saratoga . .. 
Schenectady 
Schoharie . . 
Schuyler . . . 

Seneca . 

Steuben 

Suffolk . 

Sullivan ... 


Male. Female. Total. 


1 


1. 

5 1 

No data. 
7 1 

3 



No data. 
No data. 



o 


o 


o 


1 



1 

8 

1 

6 


8' 


3 


2 

1 

G 

6 

2 

7 

5 


1 

6 

2 

4 

1 

1 

3 


2 1 

G 1 

1 


3 

7 

1 
























































No. 6.] 


63 


Tioga . 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Tompkins . 

. 1 

I 

2 

Ulster . 





Warren . 2 . 2 


Washington . No data. 


{-i 1 . 

Wayne. 

....... 1 1 

o 

mJ 

Westchester . 

. No data. 


Wyoming . 

. 1 . 

1 

Yates . 




71 51 122 


Percentage 


103 


II. 


Table of the Blind in the Almshouses of the State Showing 
Sex, Age, Totals and Percentage by Decades. 


Age. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

0-10 .'_ 

_ 1 . 


1 

10-21 . 

. . . . 1 . 


1 

21-30 . 

») 

1 

4 

30-40 . 

. . . . 4 

1 

5 

40-50 . 

7 

6 

13 

50-60 . 

13 

5 

18 

60-70 . 

13 

7 

20 

70-80 . 

18 

16 

34 

80-90 . 

. . . . 4 

4 

8 

90-100 . 

1 

3 

4 

Unknown . 

. . . . 6 

S 

14 


71 

51 

122 


Percentage. 




2.03 











































































[Assembly, No. G.] 


64 


III. 


Institutions for the Adult Blind in Great Britian from which 
Letters oit Reports Have Been Receved by the Commision. 



Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Totally blind . 

37 

32 

69 

Partially blind . 

11 

12 

23 

■Unknown . 

12 

11 

23 

Former pupils in schools for blind. 

6 

G 

12 

Assist with work of almshouse. .. . 

7 

4 

11 

Confirmed drunkards. 

** 

o . . 


5 

Operation might improve sight... 

1 

3 

4 

Health good . 

37 

15 

52 

Became blind since census enu- 




meration of 1900 . 

9 

JmJ 

2 

4 

Possible candidates for industrial 




institution . 

7 

2 

9 
















APPENDIX E* 


INFORMATION REGARDING INSTITUTIONS FOR THE 
ADULT BLIND IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IN 
THE UNITED STxVTES. 


I. 


Institutions for the Adult Blind in Great Britain from 
Which Letters or Reports Have Been Received by tiie 
Commission. 

The General Institution for the Blind, Edgbaston, Birmingham, 


England. 

Bradford Incorporated Institution for the Blind, Bradford, 
Yorkshire, E n gl a n d. 

Birkenhead Society for the Blind, Birkenhead, England. 

The Bristol Asylum or School of Industry for the Blind, Bris¬ 
tol, England. 

Carlisle Home and Workshop for the Blind, Carlisle, England. 

, \ 
Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Society for the Blind, Chelten¬ 


ham, England. 

West of England Institution for the Instruction and Employ¬ 
ment of the Blind. Exeter, England. 

United Institution for the Blind and Deaf and Dumb, Leeds, 

England. 

The Leicester Association for Promoting the General Welfare 

of the Blind, Leicester, England. 

British and Foreign Blind Association, London, England. 




[ Assembly 



Royal Normal College aiul Academy of Music for the Blind, 
Upper Norwood, London, England. 

Hen shaw’s Blind Asylum, Manchester, England. 

Newcastle, Gateshead and District Workshops for the Adult 
Blind, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. 

Asylum and School for the Indigent Blind, Norwich, England. 

South Devon and Cornwall Institution and School for the 
Blind, Plymouth, England. 

Institute for the Blind and the Deaf and Dumb, Stockport, 
England. 

Yorkshire School for the Blind, York, England. 

Association for the Employment of the Industrious Blind, Bel¬ 
fast, Ireland. 

Royal Blind Asylum and School, Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Dundee Institution for the Blind, Dundee, Scotland. 

Royal Glasgow Asylum for the Blind, Glasgow, Scotland. 

Cardiff Institute for the Blind, Cardiff, Wales. 

Swansea and South Wales Institution for the Blind, Swansea, 
Wales. 

II. 


Partial List of Institutions for 


THE 


Adult Blind in the 


United States. 

Industrial Home of Mechanical Trades for the Adult Blind, 
Oakland, Cal. 

Connecticut Institute and Industrial Home for the Blind, 334 
and 336 Wethersfield avenue, Hartford, Conn. 

Columbia Polytechnic Institute for the Blind, Washington, 
D. C. 

Illinois Industrial Home for the Blind, corner Nineteenth and 


Marshall streets, Chicago, Ill. 


No. 6.1 


67 


Indiana Industrial Home for Blind Men, Indianapolis, Ind. 

Workshops for the Blind, South Boston, Mass. 

* Industrial Home and School for the Blind, Portland, Me. 

•Michigan Employment Institution for the Blind, Saginaw, 
Mich. 

St. Joseph's Home for the Blind, Pavonia avenue, Jersey City, 
N. J. 

The Society for the Relief of the Destitute Blind, Amsterdam 
avenue and 104th street, New York City. 

St. Joseph’s Blind Asylum, Mt. Loretto, Prince’s Bay, Staten 
Island, New York Oitv. 

Church Home for the Blind, 550 Washington avenue, Brooklyn, 
N. Y. 

The Industrial Home for the Blind, 512 Gates avenue, Brook - 
Ivn, N. Y. 

Pennsylvania Working Home for Blind Men, 3518 Lancaster 
avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 

The Pennsylvania Industrial Home for Blind Women, 3827 
Powelton avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 

Workshops for the Blind, Milwaukee, Wis. 

III. 

Questions Sent to the Several Institutions for the Adult 

Blind in the United States. 

% 

(1) What is the full corporate name of your institution? 

(2) Where is it located? 

(3) When was it established? 

(4) How is it supported, by private charity or by the State 
or government? 


* Not yet in operation. 



(58 


[Assembly 


(5) Is the institution self-supporting? 

(G) If not, what is the yearly deficit? 

(7) What is the annual per capita cost of maintaining the 
institution ? 

(8) How many inmates have you? 

(9) How many can you accommodate? 

(10) Do you admit both sexes? 

(11) Do you have a workshop in connection with the institu¬ 
tion ? 

(12) How many of the workmen live in the institution? 

(13) How many live outside? 

(14) What industries are pursued? 

(15) Which one of these industries is most readily learned bv 
the largest number of blind persons? 

(1G) Which is apparently the most difficult for them to 
acquire? 

(17) Does the industry most easily learned yield the greatest 
or least financial result? 

(18) Are the workmen paid by the piece, or by the day, week 
or month? 

(19) What was the minimum annual wage earned by any 
workman last year? 

(20) What was the maximum? 

(21) How many seeing people are employed in the institution? 

(22) Do you find ready sale for all the articles manufactured? 

(22) Does the State or Government aid you in disposing of 

your products by purchasing any of them for use in State, county 
or municipal institutions? 

(24) Are the inmates generally congenial to each other and 
loyal to the officers of the institution? 


(25) Fi'oiii your experience would you advise the establishment 
of industrial homes? 

(2C>) We should be very glad of any personal information re¬ 
garding your institution which will aid us in making a report to 
the Legislature—anything which you would state in a personal 

f 

conversation. 


70 


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Tabulation of Replies Received to the Above Questions— (Concluded). 

(The numbers at the left correspond to the questions above.) 


72 


[Assembly 

























































































73 


No. 6.] 


0 

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APPENDIX F. 


CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENSES INCURRED BY COM¬ 
MISSION. 


Traveling expenses, hotel bills, etc. 

Postage, stationery, supplies, etc. 

Telegraph and telephone messages. 

Express . 

Expenses of field officers. 

Salary of clerk and extra stenographic services 


|441 73 
150 07 
11 80 
6 45 
626 72 
258 33 


-fl,495.70 

























































































BRARY OF CONGRESS 



0 041 143 666 4 










